Summary
·
The
proposals offered during the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania’s monthly engagement
meeting in Dar es Salaam on Saturday include embracing talent, a sustainable
tax system, technology and policies that encourage growth and engagement
between the public and private sector
Dar es Salaam. Business leaders have put forward seven recommendations to improve the business landscape and bolster the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The proposals offered during the CEO
Roundtable of Tanzania’s monthly engagement meeting in Dar es Salaam on
Saturday include embracing talent, a sustainable tax system, technology and
policies that encourage growth and engagement between the public and private
sector.
Others are business leaders
prioritising solutions to known problems, as well as making the most of
available opportunities in leveraging the booming business sector.
Sharing leadership reflections on
business in Tanzania, CEOrt members said while the government’s pro-business
approach is acknowledged, its impact on business development, particularly
SMEs, could be accelerated if the recommendations will be worked on.
Kitivo Investment Company Limited
chief executive Tournabenne Mnyuku said skills and capacity building were
critical for economic development as they enhance an organisation’s innovation
and quality standards.
“Skills gaps remain a pressing
concern for the majority of employers in Tanzania,” he said.
Mr Mnyuku stressed the need to have
more practical and modern approaches to skilling new job entrants so that
employers could benefit from a capable workforce.
Although his remarks were aligned
with helping budding entrepreneurs, who often have to seek fresh graduates as a
more affordable resourcing option, the same is true for big corporations that
also experience inadequacies in the quality of workforce skills.
The private sector is committed to
addressing these systemic problems, but it will take concerted efforts to get
there.
Contributing to the discussion on
how collaboration can offer solutions to building the right skills, Prof
Bernadeta Killian, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at the University of Dar
es Salaam (UDSM), urged the business community to work closely with the
learning institution.
UDSM has a rich history of over 60
years and is undergoing a transformation that allows room for closer
cooperation with the private sector.
Prof Killian said UDSM has the
highest number of PhD holders in the region across various disciplines and is
therefore a good source of expertise.
“There is potential for impactful
research to spur innovation and joint programmes with companies to improve the
talent pool for employers,” she said.
On what more could be done in this
regard, Oryx Energies managing director Kalpesh Mehta challenged business
leaders to be more solution-thinking when it comes to addressing known
problems.
Faru Graphite Corporation Limited
CEO Alimiya Munge stressed the need to address skills at more foundational
levels before young people enter universities.
Beem founder and CEO Taha Jiwaji
said: “Job shadowing can be one of the ways businesses facilitate how young
people learn.”
Industry captains said the skills
gap may also apply amongst entrepreneurs.
AKM Glitters Company Limited CEO
Elizabeth Swai reminded members of the value of grooming both technical and
business skills.
She said that where technical skills
assist in running the day to day operations, it is business skills that are
crucial for implementing growth strategies.
CEOrt executive director Santina
Benson said the country needs sustainable tax collection systems to improve the
business landscape that will encourage SME growth.
Young entrepreneurs, she expounded,
may be averse to engaging with tax authorities, but viewing regulators as
supporters of their growth can remedy that.
“It is important to have an
understanding of compliance requirements, as that will help business owners
participate in policy reviews, own the impact on their respective businesses, and
possibly influence future reforms,” said Ms Benson.
Technology on the other hand, as an
enabler of value creation and accelerated growth, poses a great opportunity for
entrepreneurs and the business environment to prosper.
“A fear of technology and the inability
to think of technology from a strategic perspective may hinder Tanzania from
capitalising on its massive population dividends,” she cautioned.
Once again, the significance of
skills in aiding development is evident.
The private sector has a substantial
role to play in driving Tanzania’s development.
However, Ms Benson said policies
that encourage growth are necessary, as well as engagement between the public
and private sectors to ensure the effective formulation of such policies.
“A sustainable and prosperous future
for the country is possible,” she noted
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